NIHR Clinical Research Network

The Leicester Diabetes Centre is part of one of the 15 local branches delivering research in the NHS across all disease areas. The NIHR Clinical Research Network: East Midlands is hosted by University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. The Network is responsible for ensuring the effective delivery of research in the NHS Trusts, primary care organisations and other qualified NHS providers throughout the East Midlands area. Here at the LDC we are passionate about the contribution clinical research can make to patient care. We work collaboratively with other NHS providers to translate that passion into the effective delivery of research studies in our regional area.

The Diabetes Education and Self-Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed (DESMOND) Programme - National Collaborative

DESMOND is the name of a family of patient education programmes and related Educator training, which were developed by a collaborative of NHS organisations. The DESMOND national co-ordinating centre is hosted by the Leicester Diabetes Centre at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. DESMOND is first and foremost an NHS organisation, which supports other health organisations to deliver first class patient education to people either with Type 2 diabetes, or at risk of diabetes.

From its beginnings as a research initiative, DESMOND is now well-established and successful in helping to improve the care which people with diabetes can expect to receive both here in the UK and in other countries across the world. All DESMOND programmes begin life as research projects, so not surprisingly, the DESMOND Programme is also a research organisation, drawing on the expertise of many others to test and provide evidence of the effectiveness of the education modules and training it develops. That research is conducted in collaboration with colleagues in other institutions, academic as well as NHS. DESMOND can call on the most experienced, respected, and skilled practitioners and academics in designing patient education and healthcare professional training.

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Leicester – Loughborough Diet, Lifestyle and Physical Activity Biomedical Research Unit (BRU) first opened its doors for business in 2012 to look at how physical activity, diet and lifestyle can impact upon the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases.

State of the art exercise equipment has been installed at the LDC and new staff have been appointed at both University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL) and Loughborough University’s School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences (SSEHS).

The NIHR Leicester – Loughborough Diet, Lifestyle and Physical Activity BRU was awarded £4.5 million NIHR funding over five years from April 2012 plus £1.38 million capital funding by the Department of Health. Read more in their portfolio.

University of Leicester - Cardiovascular Science and Diabetes

This multi disciplinary research area is led by Professor Kamlesh Khunti and collaborates closely with the Department of Cardiovascular Science, University Hospitals Leicester and NHS Leicester City Clinical CCommissioning Groups (CCG). AS well as establishing an international reputation in the field of diabetes and cardiovascular research, it has successfully bid for significant grants to promote diabetes and cardiovascular research.

Leicester Clinical Trials Unit (CTU)

The Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) is an academic unit providing expert support in the management of complex studies such as, randomised controlled trials. It complies with the highest standards, as required by regulatory authorities. Although the CTU is most concerned with randomised controlled trials, other studies with significant data management responsibilities may also benefit from CTU support.

The CTU encourages investigators to make contact in the early stages of proposal development. If you are considering running a clinical trial, or if you are already involved in such a trial and need support and specialist advice, the Leicester CTU welcomes enquiries.

East Midlands (EM) CLAHRC

Following the decision by the NIHR in 2012 for a second wave of Collaborative Leaderships in Applied Health Research and Care, the team at the Leicester Diabetes Centre, in conjunction with colleagues at the University of Leicester and University Hospitals of Leicester joined forces with colleagues at the former Nottingham, Derby and Lincolnshire CLAHRC to create a new collaboration, known as East Midlands (EM) CLAHRC.

Professor Kamlesh Khunti of the Department of Health Sciences at the University of Leicester, and Co-Director of the LDC, was nominated as Director. Under his inspired leadership, researchers, clinicians, academics and public representatives have established a new and exciting partnership to progress a range of innovative projects in long term conditions. Under the banner of ‘ Healthier Living for Longer’, the projects were informed by the key priorities identified by health organisations and communities across the East Midlands, and are aimed at further improving the health of local populations.

The East Midlands Centre for Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Health

The Centre is dedicated to using its expertise and experience to support and motivate health researchers to engage in high quality ethnically inclusive research likely to impact on health outcomes in BME communities. It will contribute to improving the health and wellbeing of minority communities across the region by pursuing a range of patient and public engagement strategies designed to increase knowledge and awareness amongst researchers and service providers and increase participation of BME communities in health research.